diff -r 33a39dfc239e Lib/test/test_tcl.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_tcl.py	Mon May 19 00:12:00 2014 -0400
+++ b/Lib/test/test_tcl.py	Thu May 22 17:59:01 2014 +0300
@@ -127,6 +127,42 @@
         tcl = self.interp
         self.assertRaises(TclError,tcl.unsetvar,'a')
 
+    def test_getint(self):
+        tcl = self.interp.tk
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getint(' 42 '), 42)
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getint(u' 42 '), 42)
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getint(42), 42)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getint)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getint, '42', '10')
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getint, 42L)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getint, 42.0)
+        self.assertRaises(TclError, tcl.getint, 'a')
+        self.assertRaises((ValueError, TclError), tcl.getint, '42\0')
+
+    def test_getdouble(self):
+        tcl = self.interp.tk
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getdouble(' 42 '), 42.0)
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getdouble(' 42.5 '), 42.5)
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getdouble(u'42.5'), 42.5)
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getdouble(42.5), 42.5)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getdouble)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getdouble, '42.5', '10')
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getdouble, 42)
+        self.assertRaises(TclError, tcl.getdouble, 'a')
+        self.assertRaises((ValueError, TclError), tcl.getdouble, '42.5\0')
+
+    def test_getboolean(self):
+        tcl = self.interp.tk
+        self.assertIs(tcl.getboolean('on'), True)
+        self.assertIs(tcl.getboolean(u'on'), True)
+        self.assertIs(tcl.getboolean('1'), True)
+        self.assertEqual(tcl.getboolean(42), 42)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getboolean)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getboolean, 'on', '1')
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, tcl.getboolean, 1.0)
+        self.assertRaises(TclError, tcl.getboolean, 'a')
+        self.assertRaises((ValueError, TclError), tcl.getboolean, 'on\0')
+
     def testEvalFile(self):
         tcl = self.interp
         filename = "testEvalFile.tcl"
diff -r 33a39dfc239e Modules/_tkinter.c
--- a/Modules/_tkinter.c	Mon May 19 00:12:00 2014 -0400
+++ b/Modules/_tkinter.c	Thu May 22 17:59:01 2014 +0300
@@ -1021,6 +1021,65 @@
     0,                      /*tp_is_gc*/
 };
 
+static const char *
+stringAsShortString(PyObject *arg)
+{
+    const char *s;
+    if (PyUnicode_Check(arg)) {
+        arg = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(arg, NULL);
+        if (arg == NULL)
+            return NULL;
+    }
+    if (PyString_Size(arg) > INT_MAX) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_OverflowError, "string is too long");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    s = PyString_AsString(arg);
+    if (strlen(s) != PyString_Size(arg)) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "null character in string");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    return s;
+}
+
+static int
+short_string_converter(PyObject *in, void *_out)
+{
+    const char *s;
+    const char **out = (const char**)_out;
+    if (PyString_Check(in) || PyUnicode_Check(in)) {
+        s = stringAsShortString(in);
+        if (s == NULL)
+            return 0;
+        *out = s;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+                 "must be str, not %.50s", in->ob_type->tp_name);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+short_zstring_converter(PyObject *in, void *_out)
+{
+    const char *s;
+    const char **out = (const char**)_out;
+    if (in == Py_None) {
+        *out = NULL;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    if (PyString_Check(in) || PyUnicode_Check(in)) {
+        s = stringAsShortString(in);
+        if (s == NULL)
+            return 0;
+        *out = s;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+                 "must be str or None, not %.50s", in->ob_type->tp_name);
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static Tcl_Obj*
 AsObj(PyObject *value)
 {
@@ -1483,7 +1542,7 @@
     PyObject *res = NULL;
     int err;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:eval", &script))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:eval", short_string_converter, &script))
         return NULL;
 
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
@@ -1529,7 +1588,8 @@
     PyObject *res = NULL;
     int err;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:evalfile", &fileName))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:evalfile",
+                          short_string_converter, &fileName))
         return NULL;
 
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
@@ -1553,7 +1613,7 @@
     PyObject *res = NULL;
     int err;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s", &script))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:record", short_string_converter, &script))
         return NULL;
 
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
@@ -1574,7 +1634,8 @@
 {
     char *msg;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:adderrorinfo", &msg))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:adderrorinfo",
+                          short_string_converter, &msg))
         return NULL;
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
 
@@ -1611,18 +1672,12 @@
 static int
 varname_converter(PyObject *in, void *_out)
 {
-    char *s;
-    char **out = (char**)_out;
-    if (PyString_Check(in)) {
-        if (PyString_Size(in) > INT_MAX) {
-            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_OverflowError, "string is too long");
+    const char *s;
+    const char **out = (const char**)_out;
+    if (PyString_Check(in) || PyUnicode_Check(in)) {
+        s = stringAsShortString(in);
+        if (s == NULL)
             return 0;
-        }
-        s = PyString_AsString(in);
-        if (strlen(s) != PyString_Size(in)) {
-            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "null character in string");
-            return 0;
-        }
         *out = s;
         return 1;
     }
@@ -1740,8 +1795,9 @@
         LEAVE_OVERLAP_TCL
         break;
     case 3:
-        if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ssO:setvar",
-                              &name1, &name2, &newValue))
+        if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&O&O:setvar",
+                              short_string_converter, &name1,
+                              short_string_converter, &name2, &newValue))
             return NULL;
         /* XXX must hold tcl lock already??? */
         newval = AsObj(newValue);
@@ -1784,8 +1840,9 @@
     PyObject *res = NULL;
     Tcl_Obj *tres;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&|s:getvar",
-                          varname_converter, &name1, &name2))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&|O&:getvar",
+                          varname_converter, &name1,
+                          short_string_converter, &name2))
         return NULL;
 
     ENTER_TCL
@@ -1828,7 +1885,9 @@
     int code;
     PyObject *res = NULL;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s|s:unsetvar", &name1, &name2))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&|O&:unsetvar",
+                          short_string_converter, &name1,
+                          short_string_converter, &name2))
         return NULL;
 
     ENTER_TCL
@@ -1863,61 +1922,79 @@
 static PyObject *
 Tkapp_GetInt(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
-    char *s;
-    int v;
-
-    if (PyTuple_Size(args) == 1) {
-        PyObject* o = PyTuple_GetItem(args, 0);
-        if (PyInt_Check(o)) {
-            Py_INCREF(o);
-            return o;
-        }
+    PyObject *arg;
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O:getint", &arg))
+        return NULL;
+    if (PyInt_Check(arg)) {
+        Py_INCREF(arg);
+        return arg;
     }
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:getint", &s))
-        return NULL;
-    if (Tcl_GetInt(Tkapp_Interp(self), s, &v) == TCL_ERROR)
+    if (PyString_Check(arg) || PyUnicode_Check(arg)) {
+        int intVal;
+        const char *s = stringAsShortString(arg);
+        if (s == NULL)
+            return NULL;
+        if (Tcl_GetInt(Tkapp_Interp(self), s, &intVal) == TCL_OK)
+            return PyLong_FromLong(intVal);
         return Tkinter_Error(self);
-    return Py_BuildValue("i", v);
+    }
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+                 "must be int or str, not %.50s",
+                 arg->ob_type->tp_name);
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 Tkapp_GetDouble(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
-    char *s;
-    double v;
-
-    if (PyTuple_Size(args) == 1) {
-        PyObject *o = PyTuple_GetItem(args, 0);
-        if (PyFloat_Check(o)) {
-            Py_INCREF(o);
-            return o;
-        }
+    PyObject *arg;
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O:getdouble", &arg))
+        return NULL;
+    if (PyFloat_Check(arg)) {
+        Py_INCREF(arg);
+        return arg;
     }
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:getdouble", &s))
-        return NULL;
-    if (Tcl_GetDouble(Tkapp_Interp(self), s, &v) == TCL_ERROR)
+    if (PyString_Check(arg) || PyUnicode_Check(arg)) {
+        double doubleVal;
+        const char *s = stringAsShortString(arg);
+        if (s == NULL)
+            return NULL;
+        if (Tcl_GetDouble(Tkapp_Interp(self), s, &doubleVal) == TCL_OK)
+            return PyFloat_FromDouble(doubleVal);
         return Tkinter_Error(self);
-    return Py_BuildValue("d", v);
+    }
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+                 "must be double or str, not %.50s",
+                 arg->ob_type->tp_name);
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 Tkapp_GetBoolean(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
-    char *s;
-    int v;
-
-    if (PyTuple_Size(args) == 1) {
-        PyObject *o = PyTuple_GetItem(args, 0);
-        if (PyInt_Check(o)) {
-            Py_INCREF(o);
-            return o;
-        }
+    PyObject *arg;
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O:getboolean", &arg))
+        return NULL;
+    if (PyInt_Check(arg)) {
+        Py_INCREF(arg);
+        return arg;
     }
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:getboolean", &s))
-        return NULL;
-    if (Tcl_GetBoolean(Tkapp_Interp(self), s, &v) == TCL_ERROR)
+    if (PyString_Check(arg) || PyUnicode_Check(arg)) {
+        int intVal;
+        const char *s = stringAsShortString(arg);
+        if (s == NULL)
+            return NULL;
+        if (Tcl_GetBoolean(Tkapp_Interp(self), s, &intVal) == TCL_OK)
+            return PyBool_FromLong(intVal);
         return Tkinter_Error(self);
-    return PyBool_FromLong(v);
+    }
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+                 "must be int or str, not %.50s",
+                 arg->ob_type->tp_name);
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -1927,7 +2004,7 @@
     PyObject *res = NULL;
     int retval;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:exprstring", &s))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:exprstring", short_string_converter, &s))
         return NULL;
 
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
@@ -1951,7 +2028,7 @@
     int retval;
     long v;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:exprlong", &s))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:exprlong", short_string_converter, &s))
         return NULL;
 
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
@@ -1975,7 +2052,7 @@
     double v;
     int retval;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:exprdouble", &s))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:exprdouble", short_string_converter, &s))
         return NULL;
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
     PyFPE_START_PROTECT("Tkapp_ExprDouble", return 0)
@@ -1999,7 +2076,7 @@
     int retval;
     int v;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:exprboolean", &s))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:exprboolean", short_string_converter, &s))
         return NULL;
     CHECK_TCL_APPARTMENT;
     ENTER_TCL
@@ -2257,7 +2334,8 @@
     PyObject *func;
     int err;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "sO:createcommand", &cmdName, &func))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&O:createcommand",
+                          short_string_converter, &cmdName, &func))
         return NULL;
     if (!PyCallable_Check(func)) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "command not callable");
@@ -2320,7 +2398,8 @@
     char *cmdName;
     int err;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s:deletecommand", &cmdName))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&:deletecommand",
+                          short_string_converter, &cmdName))
         return NULL;
 
 #ifdef WITH_THREAD
@@ -3125,10 +3204,12 @@
         baseName = Py_GetProgramName();
     className = "Tk";
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "|zssiiiiz:create",
-                          &screenName, &baseName, &className,
-                          &interactive, &wantobjects, &wantTk,
-                          &sync, &use))
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "|O&O&O&iiiiO&:create",
+                          short_zstring_converter, &screenName,
+                          short_string_converter, &baseName,
+                          short_string_converter, &className,
+                          &interactive, &wantobjects, &wantTk, &sync,
+                          short_zstring_converter, &use))
         return NULL;
 
     return (PyObject *) Tkapp_New(screenName, baseName, className,